Rolling pressure control apparatus



Jan. 3, 1956 s, col- ET AL 2,729,003

ROLLING PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS Filed July 1. 1953 INVENTOR. Sam/E1. Conw Ivar/v2 COW BY Jaws GmI-TER United States Patent ROLLING PRESSURE CONTROL APPARATUS Samuel Cohn and Eugene (John, New York, and Jules G. Walter, Manhasset, N. Y., assignors to Samcoe Holding Corporation, Woodside, N. Y., a corporation or New York Application July 1, 1953, Serial No. 365,408

13 Claims. (Cl. 38-52) This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the pressure between a pair of pressure rolls, and more particularly is concerned with apparatus for effecting a uniformity of pressure between a pair of pressure rolls throughout their lengths.

In rolling continuous lengths of sheet-like material as is necessary, for instance, in finishing tubular textile fabrics, it is desirable, if not essential, in all cases that the rolling pressure to which the material is subjected be uniform throughout the width of the material. Heretofore in rolling such sheet-like material it has been the practice to fixedly mount one of a pair of rotatable rolls while the other has been mounted in parallel relation to the first for adjustment toward and away from the first roll to vary the pressure therebetween. The adjustably mounted roll is generally supported between a pair of lever arms, one end of each of which is supported by a pivot pin fixed with respect to the fixed roll. The free end of each lever arm supports a compression spring through which pressure is applied thereto. An effort is made to employ two such springs, one for each lever arm, which are identical in all respects and, if the pressure rolls are to be initially maintained under a positive pressure, to equally stress said springs. As will be clear, it will be diflicult, or in the alternative wholly uneconornical to acquire two such springs with even substantially identical characteristics. Hence in practice the pressure exerted by such springs through pressure rolls upon material passed between the rolls has not been uniform throughout the width of such material.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide apparatus for urging a movable pressure roll into contact with a second parallel pressure roll with substantially uniform pressure throughout the lengths of the rolls whereby material subjected to a rolling operation by said pressure rolls is subjected to a uniform rolling pressure throughout its width.

Broadly this invention contemplates the provision, in combination with a pair of parallel rotatable pressure rolls, one of which is movable relative to the other, of means for individually urging opposite ends of said one roll toward the other roll, and means assuring equalization of the forces with which the opposite ends of the movable roll are urged toward the other roll.

More specifically the invention contemplates, in combination, a fixedly mounted rotatable pressure roll, a relatively adjustably mounted rotatable pressure roll and a pair of fluid pressure means, one located adjacent each of the opposite ends of the adjustable pressure roll and adapted to transmit therethrough forces to urge the end of the roll toward the fixed roll. The fluid pressure means are interconnected by a fluid conduit whereby equal forces are exerted upon the opposite ends of the movable roll. Advantageously a spring may be interposed between each fluid pressure means and the adjacent end of the movable 3 roll.

For a more detailed understanding of my invention and the advantages lent thereby to pressure rolling operations, reference may be had to the following detailed description of several embodiments of the invention taken in connection with the illustrations thereof in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a specific apparatus for equalizing the rolling pressure throughout the length of a pair of pressure rolls;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatusof Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the fluid pressure devices of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of fluid pressure device; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of another form of fluid pressure device.-

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated a suitable framework 10 fixedly secured to which are a pair of bearings brackets 11 between and by which is supported a rotatable pressure roll 12. A second pressure roll 13 is journaled at its opposite ends intermediate the ends of a pair of lever arms 14, corresponding ends of which are pivotally secured by pins 15 to upright extensions 16 of bearing brackets 11. Pressure roll 13 is supported by lever arms 14 to lie above pressure roll 12 and is movable thereby toward and away from pressure roll 12 to vary the pressure between the two rolls or the pressure exerted by the two rolls upon material passing therebetween.

A pair of compression springs 17 and 18 are supported respectively on the outer ends of lever arms 14. A pair of identical bellows 19 and 20 are carried on the upper ends of springs 17 and 18 respectively, washers or the like 21 being interposed therebetween. In Fig. 3 is shown in section one of said bellows 20. It will be noted there that the bellows comprises a pair of end plates 23 and 24 to and between which are secured in a fluid tight manner compressible and extensible bellows members 25 and 26, the former being concentrically disposed within and spaced from the latter to provide a fluid tight fluid compartment 27 adapted to contain a fluid such as oil. The bellows members 25 and 26 are made of any suitable material which will resist deformation other than in the longitudinal direction of the bellows when subjected to the pressures involved and which will also not deteriorate substantially by reason of the continual lengthening and shortening of the bellows when the apparatus is in operation. Such a metal from which the bellows members 25 and 26 may be made is a copper sheeting which has substantial rigidity and which will not fatigue as a result of the continual bending at the curved portions.

The fluid compartment 27 of the bellows is placed in communication with the exterior of the bellows by a passage 28 extending through end plate 24, a portion of this passage being threaded to threadably receive a nipple 29. Pressure gauges 30 are provided, one for each of bellows 19 and 20 and are connected to the fluid compartments thereof through passages 28 and nipples 29. An interconnecting fluid conduit 31 provided with a shutoff valve 32 is connected to nipples 29, thereby interconnecting the fluid compartments of the two bellows 19 and 20 when valve 32 is open. Hence, when valve 32 is open, the fluid in the bellows 19 and 20 may pass freely therebetween to maintain a uniform fluid pressure in each.

The bellows and springs are adapted to be placed under compression to urge pressure roll 13 toward pressure roll 12 by identical means, each comprising a vertically extending rod 35 which extends freely through the outer end of a lever arm 14, a spring and a bellows, the upper end being threaded to receive a nut 36 through which pressure may be transmitted to the upper end plate 24 of the bellows. The lower end of each rod 35 is provided with a head 37 (Fig. 1) having a flange 38 of larger diam- 'bodiments of our invention.

3 eter than the passage in the end of lever arm 14 through hi h h r d ext nd Th hea 7 s bifurcated 1.0 receive the upper end of a draw bar 39 pivotally secured thereto by a pivot pin 40. The lower end of each draw bar 39 is pivotally secured by a .pivot pin 42 to a bracket 43 fixedly secured as by keying to a shaft 44 mounted in framework 10. A spur gear 45 is firmly secured to one end of shaft 44 and is adapted to be engaged by a worm 46 mounted on the frame and rotatable by means of a hand wheel 47. Turning of hand wheel 47 in one direction will draw rods 35 downwardly, compressing bellows 1'9 and 20 and springs 17 and 18, thereby urging pressure roll 13 toward pressure roll 12 to increase the pressure therebetween. Rotation of hand wheel 47 in the opposite direction has theopposite effect, and if the wheel 47 a is turned sulficiently in this direction, pressure roll 13 will be moved out of contact completely with pressure roll 12 because flanges 38 will engage and move pivoted lever arms 14 in a. clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 1, about pivot pins 15. pressure rolls 12 and 13 is only necessary to permit initiating the passage of material to be rolled therebetween or to permit the application of a rolling pressure equal to less than the weight of roll 13.

In operation it will be clear that when valve 32 in the interconnecting fluid conduit 31 is open, the pressure in the fluid compartments of the two bellows will be identical or will quickly equalize. Hence the forces with which springs 17 and 18 are compressed and the pressure exerted thereby on opposite ends of pressure roll 13 through lever arms 1 will be identical. This will be so despite the degree to which either spring 17 or 18 is compressed. Of course in previous apparatus not employing interconnected bellows, care had to be taken, in addi- .tion to choosing springs of substantially identical characteristics, that both were initially compressed to the same extent. Otherwise when one became compressed more than the other, further compression of both, though uniform, would result in difierent changes in the pressure applied to opposite ends of pressure roll 13.

In certain prior apparatus not including our novel fluid pressure means, springs 18 were placed under compression by connecting draw bars 39 to the output ends of leverage systems loaded initially by simple weights. The fluid pressure means of our invention whereby the forces applied to opposite ends of pressure roll 13 are equalized is even more important in such weighted apparatus, because in such apparatus care had not only to be taken in choosing springs of substantially identical construction and characteristics, but the dififerences in the frictional 7 resistances of the leverage systems had to be contended with. In this latter respect it is substantially impossible to assure that the output force of two leverage systems be the same without interconnection thereof and minor frictional characteristics of two systems can assume great magnitude by the time they are reflected in the output forces of the system. With our novel fluid pressure device or devices, however, such differences in the simple weight loaded apparatus may be readily accommodated.

In Figs. 4 and 5 there are illustrated two other cm- In each instance, however, but one fluid pressure device is illustrated, as is the case in Fig. 3, it being understood, of course, that in an actual pressure rolling apparatus two would be employed, one at each end of the movable roll. In describing the devices of Figs. 4 and 5, the same reference numerals primed and double primed, respectively, will be employed where the parts correspond to those illustrated in Figs. 1 through 3.

The device of Fig. 4 comprises a fluid cylinder 50 supported on the outer end of a lever arm 14'. In the bottom of the cylinder, axially through which draw rod 35' extends, is contained an annular channel-shaped piston 51. Spaced therefrom, on the opposite side of a discharge passage 28 is a second piston member 52 of This provision for separation of substantially the same form as the piston 51, but inverted. Each ,of pistons 51 and 52 is provided with ,an inner flange adapted to engage in close contact draw rod 35 and an outer flange adapted to engage in close contact the inner wall of cylinder 56. If desirable, gaskets, such as rubber O-rings, may be employed to more elfectively prevent the escape of fluid between the piston member flanges and either draw rod 35' or cylinder 50. A spring 18 is supported on piston member 52 and is compressed between the piston member and a washer 21' carried on its upper .end. The upper end of draw rod 35 is threaded to receive a nut 36' through which pressure may be transmitted to Washer 21'. The interior of cylinder 50 between piston members 51 and 52 contains a fluid and is adapted to be connected through outlet 28 and a suitable conduit to the interior of a second similar device mounted on a lever arm 14 adjacent the opposite end of a movable cylinder 13. Pressure gauges similar to those numbered 30 and illustrated in Figs. 1 through 3 are of course provided.

The device of Fig. 5 is very similar to that of Fig. 3, the only differences between it and the device of Fig. 3 being that the double bellows 26 thereof is preferably of greater length than is the bellows 20 and no spring is employed comparable to spring 18. Hence compression force is imparted to a lever arm 14" directly from a draw rod 35 and .a nut 36 through the bellows 20''. With this device air or some other gas is preferably employed as the fluid to be contained within the bellows 20"., for such fluids will compress and hence a certain amount of resiliency may be maintained. However, a liquid may in certain instances be employed, providing a resilient application of the compression force is not important.

Vari us changes and modifications may of course be made in the specific embodiments of my invention described ;in detail above without departing from the scope of my invention which should be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus including a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is mounted for engagement with and movement relative to the other to increase the pressure .therebetween, means supporting said one roll at opposite vends thereof, a pair of springs one engaging said roll supporting means at one end of said one roll and the other engaging said roll supporting means at the other end of said one roll, and means to apply compressive force to each spring, the improvement which comprises a fluid pressure means interposed between each spring and the means to apply compressive force thereto whereby compressive force is applied to each spring through a fluid pressure means, and means interconnecting said fluid pressure means to equalize the pressure in each.

2. In apparatus including a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is mounted for engagement with and movement relative to the other to increase the pressure therebetween, means supporting said one roll at opposite ends thereof, a pair of springs one engaging said roll supporting means at one end of said one roll and the other engaging said roll supporting means at the other end of said one roll, and means to apply compressive force to each spring, the improvement which comprises a fluid-containing bellows interposed between each spring and the means to apply compressive force thereto, and means interconnecting said interior of one bellows to the interior of the other whereby the compressive forces applied to the ends of said one roll are equal.

3. The improvement according to claim 1 which includes a pressure gauge connected to the interior of each bellows.

4. In aPParatus including a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is mounted for engagement'with and movement relative to the other to increase the pressure .therebetwecn, means supporting said one roll at opposite ends thereof, a pair of springs one engaging said roll supporting means at one end of said one roll and the other engaging said roll supporting means at the other end of said one roll, and means to apply compressive force to each spring, the improvement which comprises a fluid-containing bellows interposed between each spring and the means to apply compressive force thereto, each bellows including an outer extensible and compressible member and an inner extensible and compressible member located concentrically within and spaced from said outer member and a pair of end plates to each of which each member is connected to provide a fluid chamber, and a fluid conduit placing said fluid chambers in communication, whereby the compressive forces applied to the ends of said one roll are equal.

5. In apparatus including a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is mounted for engagement with and movement relative to the other to increase the pressure therebetween, means supporting said one roll at opposite ends thereof, and means to apply pressure on said supporting means at opposite ends thereof to urge the opposite ends of said one roll toward the other roll, the

improvement which comprises a movable fluid pressure means interposed between said pressure applying means and said supporting means at each end of the latter, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said fluid pressure means to equalize the pressure in each whereby the opposite ends of said one roll are urged with equal pressures towards the ends of said other roll.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 in which each of said fluid pressure means comprises a cylindrical cavity and a pair of spaced piston elements therein between which is contained a body of fluid.

7. In apparatus including a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is mounted for engagement with and movement relative to the other to increase the pressure therebetween, means supporting said one roll at opposite ends thereof, and means to apply pressure on said supporting means at opposite ends thereof to urge the opposite ends of said one roll toward the other roll, the im provement which comprises a movable fluid containing bellows interposed between said pressure applying means and said supporting means at each end of the latter, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said fluid containing bellows to equalize the pressure in each whereby the opposite ends of said one roll are urged with equal pressures toward the ends of said other roll.

8. In apparatus including a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is mounted for engagement with and movement relative to the other to increase the pressure therebetween, means supporting said one roll at opposite ends thereof, a pair of springs one adjacent said rollsupporting means at one end of said one roll and the other adjacent said roll-supporting means at the other end of said one roll, and means to apply compressive force to each spring, the improvement which comprises a fluid pressure means interposed between each spring and said roll-supporting means whereby force is applied to said roll-supporting means at opposite ends of said one roll through a fluid pressure means, and fluid conduit means interconnecting said fluid pressure means to equalize the pressure in both.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said fluid pressure means comprises a cylindrical cavity and a pair of spaced piston elements therein between which is contained a body of fluid.

10. In combination a pair of parallel pressure rolls one of which is supported in fixed bearings, a pair of independently mounted levers in each of which is journaled one end of the other pressure roll, said other pressure roll being adapted for movement by movement of said levers toward and away from said fixedly supported roll to vary the rolling pressure between the rolls, a pair of draw rods one piercing the end of each lever, means secured to one end of each draw rod for moving said draw rods, and fluid pressure means interposed between the other end of each draw rod and the end of the lever pierced thereby so that any moving force applied to said lever by said draw rod is applied through said fluid pressure means, and means interconnecting said fluid pressure means to maintain the pressure in each the same as that in the other.

11. The combination set forth in claim 10 in which the fluid pressure means comprises a double walled bellows and a pair of end plates one at each end of and forming part of the bellows, and which includes a nut threaded on the end of each draw rod to engage the end plate at the end of the bellows remote from the end of the lever References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,699,641 Vasel Jan. 22, 1929 1,761,268 Mac Lennon June 3, 1930 1,925,949 Case Sept. 5, 1933 2,143,498 Reichert Jan. 10, 1939 2,364,443 Hornbostel Dec. 5, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 251,916 Germany Oct. 9, 1912 

